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Re: JO changing addresses...?

Let's put this issue in perspective...

Judging from JO's comments (see "Daily Dime" thread here), it's clear he's frustrated with the team's progress to date. Losing games such as the one last night (01/04/07) against the Mavs, for example, where the Pacers clearly held the advantage for 3 qrts is what has him upset. I doubt if anyone with a grain of common sense can argue that this guy is doing everything he can to help his team win. The problem is only one other player has shown a high level of consistent play - Foster.

That's not to others aren't trying hard. They just haven't been nearly as consistent as he has. I think three things need to happen:

1) Players need to fully embrace their roles like JO and Foster have clearly done.

2) EVERYONE needs to be willing to sacrifice their touches if it means a more successful team. In other words, if one player has his game going and another one does even if that other player is a starter said player needs to submit to the player who has his game going.

3) RC needs to find a winning philosophy and a winning formula even if it means bringing in a motivational speaker! They do it in the NFL. Why not in the NBA? (Anything to light a fire under this team!)

Re: JO changing addresses...

Ahh Marc Stein just said that JO is taking the blame, and reiterated that JO had a meeting with Walsh and Bird claiming if he couldn't get the team to the Championship this year, that maybe he should move on.

Unless a miracle happens....I seriously doubt that we make it to the Finals...much less the 2nd round of the playoffs.
EDIT:

If this is something that has been repeated RECENTLY ( in the aftermath of one of the recent disheartening loses ), Am I the only one that reads this as a pre-emptive "Trade me cuz I'm not going to win a championship in a Pacer Uni"?

Re: JO changing addresses...?

Judging from JO's comments (see "Daily Dime" thread here), it's clear he's frustrated with the team's progress to date. Losing games such as the one last night (01/04/07) against the Mavs, for example, where the Pacers clearly held the advantage for 3 qrts is what has him upset. I doubt if anyone with a grain of common sense can argue that this guy is doing everything he can to help his team win. The problem is only one other player has shown a high level of consistent play - Foster.

That's not to others aren't trying hard. They just haven't been nearly as consistent as he has. I think three things need to happen:

1) Players need to fully embrace their roles like JO and Foster have clearly done.

2) EVERYONE needs to be willing to sacrifice their touches if it means a more successful team. In other words, if one player has his game going and another one does even if that other player is a starter said player needs to submit to the player who has his game going.

3) RC needs to find a winning philosophy and a winning formula even if it means bringing in a motivational speaker! They do it in the NFL. Why not in the NBA? (Anything to light a fire under this team!)

Maybe 1 ( if we are really lucky...2 ) of the above will happen.....but not all 3 of them.

Re: JO changing addresses...?

I can't believe we are talking about trading JO. The guy is by far the very best player on this team. He is having one of the best if not THE best season of his career. I guess he is right though, he will take the fall for the Pacers this year. Its just too bad that he might be the only one who shouldn't.

Re: JO changing addresses...

I think some of your recent posts have been on the mark, but I have to respectfully disagree. There is no comparison between JO and Kidd's market value, at least not anymore. Kidd was a great player, maybe better than JO ever was, but he will be 34 in a couple months and his productivity is already dropping. He is clearly not a top PG in the league anymore. JO is top 15-20. Kidd might be top 30-40. JO may get a little better (I think he may be having one of his best years). Kidd's best years ended 4 or 5 years ago.

Yes, it's true that Kidd has seen his better days. One small advantage is that he's only signed through '09, one year less than JO.

My only contention is that with the new personnel we obtained just doesn't fit in with JO. So what's the answer? We can't remain status quo unless we want to be a middling .500 team.

Kidd's enthusiasm, work ethic and professionalism would definitely rub off on some of our younger players.

In the past, we've seen how different our team plays when JO is not in the lineup. It's an entirely different team; more intimated, ad-lib and everybody into the game. We've fared very well without him at times. Now, imagine if Kidd was leading the team in those games JO missed.

Now if we're talking about Carter, I'd say hell no. He wouldn't improve our team one iota without JO. Even with JO, he would be a detriment because of his entire demeanor and past history.

Re: JO changing addresses...

You dint trade a piece like Jermaine Oneal for someone who is what 33 years old right now? On the downside of his career. You trade him for young guys,picks and expiring contracts so you can build for the future.

WT Do you think we are going to be with Jason Kidd on this team? The Suns?

I'm not saying that JO for Kidd is the best thing....just that it's the only thing available or viable, now. What is JO going to do for us in the next 2-3 years? Especially with the new players we've brought in. It's obvious he doesn't fit in with them in a up tempo team. He's more or less screaming that to RC and anyone who will listen.

With him, we'll be exactly where we are now in 2-3 years with his contract about to run out. Then what?

Kidd can show our group of young guys how a fast break team operates. Our team would definitely be better than the Suns he played with, because the Suns had zero defense. Not so, with us.

Sure, you'd like to unload JO for a bunch of talent but with an escalating salary of $22 million, who's going to bite?

If you say JO doesn't hinder our fast break, then you haven't been paying close enough attention. It ain't gonna work.

Re: JO changing addresses...?

I have heard a lot of complaints of JO (and a lot of them rightfullyso) but I have never heard the complaint that he "hinders" his teammates.

That is a new one for me.

I will be the first to argue that JO does not make his teammates better, which I wish he could do (ala a KG or Timmy D) but I have never seen him "hinder" the progress of the players around him.

If anything it is the exact opposite.

You didn't comprehend the post. The post says he hinders his teammates in a fast break game. When they have to slow the ball down and feed him for his number of touches, how in the hell can the fast break be run?

Re: JO changing addresses...?

I can't believe we are talking about trading JO. The guy is by far the very best player on this team. He is having one of the best if not THE best season of his career. I guess he is right though, he will take the fall for the Pacers this year. Its just too bad that he might be the only one who shouldn't.

JO shouldn't be taking the blame for the Pacer's woes. It should be the TPTB. They've saddled him with a bunch of guys that don't fit into a slow-down post up game that utilizes JO's best attributes.

Sure, he's playing at all-star level now, absolutely great ball. But so is KG and has for years and with the wrong personnel, where has his team ever gone? How about T-Mac's teams? All-stars can't do it all. They have to have the right teammates.

Either we get rid of JO or we tailor the team to his strengths because right now, their on separate tracks.

Re: JO changing addresses...?

You didn't comprehend the post. The post says he hinders his teammates in a fast break game. When they have to slow the ball down and feed him for his number of touches, how in the hell can the fast break be run?

Well then that is a ever more ludicrous premise.

JO helps with the fast break game, he does not hinder it. Stephen Jackson on the other hand.....(what was that Jermaniac analogy of him falling off a cliff so sad yet so true)